Trolley-pole supporting and cushioning means.



S. C. COOPER & W. M. AUSTIN. A TROLLEY POLE SUPlORTIN. AND GUSHIOING MEANS. APPLICATION FILEDMAQI s, 1907.

917,714. Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

UNrrED STATES rArnNfr onction saMUEL c. coornn, or JoHNsToirN, NEW roar, AND WALTER M. AUSTIN, or s-WissvALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASsioNoRs, BY ninsc'r AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, or ONE-.THIRD 'ro SAiDoooPER, ONE-THIRD To PHILIP irnos, AND oNE-'IHIRD To SIDNEY TRUMBULL,

Aor .ioHNSroWa Newv Yoan.

TROLLEY-POLE SUPPORTING lAnn cUsHroNINe MEANS.

To ellwhom it may concern:

Be 1t known that We, SAMUEL C. Coorna, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county ol' Fulton and' This invention re ate's to a trolley pole sup-4 porting and cushioning mechanism whereby lthe trolley'is maintained in operative rela- '15 tion with the Overhead'conductor, and the transmission oi shocks and vibrations to the ear body through the trolley pole effectively eliminated.

The'invention has for one of itsobjects to provides. mechanism of the character re'- 'erred to in which compressed air from the air brake reservoir on the car is employed for maintaining the trolley pole in its operative position, and for serving as a cushioning device vfor preventin shocks and vibrations from bein transmitted to the body of the car.v4 y In this connection, it will be remarked that it has been found by experiment that the'vibration of the car is vdue toa considerable extent to the shocks and movement of the trolley pole following along under the trolleyiwire and by providing a cushioning vI'neans between t-he trolley -pole and bottom A of the base, better .running of the car is iny, sured.

A further object ofthe invention is vthe provision of 'a trolley pole havin; 1' ;an auto- 'ma'tic replacer and 'a reset-ting niotor, in

,. combination With a motor for maintaining 40' the trolley pole in operative relation', said motors being actuated from a `common source of iluid pressure.

A still further object is the employment of a sim le and substantial supporting base Where i the trolley pole can be rotated on a verticaaxis, and which base includes shock-absorbing or cushioning device having the additional function of holding the pole ivith thetrolley-in operative relation with the overhead Wire, therotatable element of the supportingpbase 'serving to` permit the trolley pole to` freely swing laterally to foly Specification of Letters Eatent. Appiicatinnmed nay s, i907. seri'ai No. 371,761.

Patented April 6, 1909.

low bends and unevenness ,in the overhead Wire, in the tracks and roadbed.

Another object of the invention is tol improveand sim lily the construction and op'- eration ol' devices of the character referred" to so as to be comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install, readily controllable, and highly etlicient and reliable in service.

lll/'ith these objects in view, and'others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features ol' construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinaiter and Set forthxvi'thparticularity in the' claims appended hereto.

'ln the accompanying dravvin g, which illustrates one of the' embodiments oi the ,invention, theiigure represents a combined vering4 and cushioning device in connection with a trolley pole equipped with an automatic replacer and re-setting motor that constitutes the subject-matter of our copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 371,717, tiled May 3,'1907, and While the present invention is admirably adapted for use in combination with the trolley pole mentioned, it is Ato be understood that the combined pole supporting and cushioning device is not necessarily limited thereto, since it can be employed in connection with ordinary trolley poles 4with excellentresults. ln order, however, to correlate the present invention Wit-h the subject-matter of our co-pending application, the latter will be briefly described in connection with the accompanying drawing. The hollow trolley pole 1 is provided at its upper end with the usual grooved trolley Wheel 2 and is hingedly mounted at its lower end. Fulcrumed on the axle 3 of the trolley wheel is a frame having oppositely and olutwardly inclined vlips or armee to constitute a replacer, the arms being automatically projected by a motor composed of a rod 5 mounted for longitudinal replacer is a toggle link connection desig nated generally by 7 v vhicli is adapted to be broken or collapsed by-an-actuat or Smounted on the trolley pole harp and having` arms -9 disposed so'a's to beengaged by the trolley Wirevvhen the. wheel 2 becomes displaced from the latter. ltvWill thus beseen'th-at vtll'elreplacing device is thrown automatically into operationpandgin order' to return the parts to normal position', a pneumatic motor' is suitably attached .on the trolley pole with -its movable' element or vpiston connected by aI leverll with therod 5, Wherebyt'he latter is .moved a ldirection to.'straighteny ,the or arms of thetoggle devicej, andthus rest-ore- ,the parts to initialposition. i Referring' novv more particularly to the subject-matter of the present invention in one specific form, v12 designates the casing or housing ofl the trolley pole base which is preferably composed of two sections 13 and 14 divisible one/horizontal plane and-sepole can move togetherwhen. it is desired to change the position ofthe trolley. During normal 'operation, .air under pressure is con? stantly maintained on the' un'der side of the' vpiston 25 so a's'to urge the trolley pole ina direction to keep .the Wheel. 2 in running engagementwith 'the 'overhead wire 'and the power exerted by the piston or movable elementof the motor'can be readily controlled -by varying the air' pressure from the car platform'or'othersuitable point. To insure free working ofthe p iston l25', the upper head of the cylinder is provided With-avent 3 3, thus preventing adash-pot action of the l .piston. Since the air pressure yis maintained `in the fthe parts are in normal Working position,l the. "compressed air necessary for the operation of the resetting motor v1,() of thetrolley replacing vmechanism7 may b e taken from the cylinder. For this purpose, the Wallsiof the cylinder sections 18 and 19 are ,provided with 'a passage 34 consittuting a byfpass, and between the outerend of the by-pjass-and motor is a cured together by bolts 15 orother suitable llexible 4conduit 35 for. permitting air 'to kbe means. `The upper section 13. is castwith l laterally extending lugs 16 to support the 'casing 12 on the roof of the c'ar, of which only tw'o cross pieces 17 are shown.. 'Within the casing is a vertical cylinder composed of two sections 18|and 19-that are also' divisible on a horizontal plane and secured bolts 20, and the 4,cylinder is mountedI to rotate on a 'vertical axis bymeans of tivo ball bearings 1 21 between theends of .the cylinder* and base-are lugs 23 for receiving a.bolt,'24 pass-I l0- fory hingedly connecting-the latter Witlithe said ,cylinder or element. l'vrithin the c ylcasing; On the top .head 22 'of the cylinder orl rotatable elementl of the pole supporting ing through the lower end ofd the trolley .pole

`inder is a piston 25 having' a rod or stem26 yextending upwardly-through the head 22 for engaging at itsiextr'eniit a rounded projecf, tion 27 on. the trolley po e. Thispiston and i cylinder, Which constitute a pneumatic .mo`

tor and'qushioning device `for the downwardv -thrusts of 'the trolley po'le, is supplied with compressedair from thefreservoirof the air' brake equipmentof the carandthe su`pply.

vofaircan' be controlled. by the` motorman'or from either end of the vcar in anyfsuitable manner. 'In thebottom headZS .ofthe Cyl; ndeijis a nipple 29 that has, connectiQgl .with

the com ressed air' su ply pipe `30. ce' Lstat 'o nary, the nippl o 'r movement For .this -purposejtlie coupling an; annular f langefl vrengaging the' inside .foi

- vthehead'28 and' a nut 32 engaging'the under '65 'air is prevented and thecylind'er trolley side of the'hea('l.' this means, eaka'gelof supplied-from the air brake system of the car to .the polesupp'or ing mot'or and resetting motor simultaneous ysandin series relation. `In practice, the trolley poleis *normally supported in the usual'position with respect lo i the car and overhead Wire, and'by properly reducing the airpressure bet-'Ween the reservoir i o'f ,the brake equipment and the cylinder in the 'casing 1 2,. the trolley'can be main-v ,tainedp in engagement With the overhead Wire vv'ith'the 'requisitepressure- Since-this pressure :can be vreadily 'controlled from, the carjplatforni- .or' other 'suitable' points, -the i Contact .of the; under-'run trolley with the cur- .rent supply Wirecan be regulated to a nicety. "llllheneverthe trolley attempts to leave-thc lWire, "the replacing 'device is immediately pressed airor motor lluid will quickly v'restore itherepla'cerx'to normal position through the Inedipmbfthe/motor. 10. Since' the motor agency `pnder.'thepiston25 iselastic, anei- .fective 'cushioning or 'shockfabsorbing device 'isl provided; "wherebyifthe sudden movements@ and "shocks 4j'I nparted'v to' vthe trolley pplefare prevented fr 'oinfhaying any percep tible edect fuponthe car bodyffand producing vibration.'" Whenever yitf'is"desired to drop txhetrolley p .o lje 7 tli'enhigpressuriscut ofi' ifromitbepip'ef; Whereu fand embed pas willvgeduulr swing 'dovvnv'vardlyffon the' hin ef24f,i theairen' trapped? in'fthe" 'space .be ovv the Piston 25 .sergv'ingfto v.permit the parts tolall gradually, From the foregoing de scifi-pilier;j alien in cor'inection'with the accompanyin'gdravving, the advantages of tliecnstruction andfol .the method of operationwvillfbe 'readily apparent t'o those skilled the art to which. the in cylinder space below the piston 25, as long as is o vention appel-talus, andwhile we have descr1bcd the principle of operation of the inthe trollev,

vention, together with the. apparatus which We now consider to b'e' the. best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood thattheapparatus shown is merely illustrative and that such changes maybe made then desired, as are within thc scopc ot' inc claims. mi

Having thus described the invention, v hat weclaim is l. The combination ol a trolley pole, a

-mounting therefor including zi' pneumatic mcans'for holding the pole inraised position, with a trolley repiacing device, means for autonlatically projecting the device to replace pneumatic means for restoring the said projecting means:

2. The combination of atrolley pole and a fluid pressure device for holding the pole in raised position, with a replacing mechanism, mechanism for projecting the replacing device, a fluid' pressure motor for restoring said mechanism, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the said pole-receiving device and motor.

3. The combination of a trolley pole, a. fluid actuated means arranged when under Huid pressure to raise the pole and maintain it in raised position and adapted to permit the pole to lower by its own weight when the pressure is removed, with a trolley replacing device, a spring-aetuated means for projecting said device,piluid pressure actuated resetting mechanism for the replacing device, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the said means and mechanism.

4. The combination of a trolley pole, with a replacing mechanism, a fluid pressure device for said mechanism, and a second lluid pressure device forming the sole means for holding the pole in normal position.

5; The combination of a trolley pole, with a replacing mechanism, a 'fluid pressure motor mounted on and movable with the pole for actuatme the re lacnnr mechanism a l 21 7 fluid pressure. device forming the sole means for holding the pole innormal positioinand a common source of ,Huid pressure for the said motor and device.

6. The combination of a trolley pole, with a cylinder on which the pole is mounted, a piston in the cylinder, means for admitting liluid pressure under the piston' for'holding the pole in normal posit-ion and for absorbing shocks, and trolley-replacing,mechanism on the pole, a motor forthe mechanism, and means for supplying iiuid under pressure from the underside of the said piston to the.-

motor. y, j

7. The combinationot a.v trolley pole,-. a

trolley thereon, replacing A'elements mountedvon the pole adjacent tliek'trolley, an actuating member, a toggle conneotlon .between the elements and member, means. operated by means arranged to operate through the rod to project the repiacinv device when 'the toggle connection is brollen, fluid-actuated means connected with the rod for straightening the toggle connection, with a mounting for the trolley pole, a cylinder in the mounting, a pist-on in the cylinder, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder, and means for supplyinpr .fluid to the motel'.

9. The combination of a cjflinder complane and arranged with its axis vertically,

from the piston and projecting out ot the top head of the cylinder, a trolley pole movabh resting on the upper end ofthe piston rod, a hinge' joint between thelowerextremity ot the pole and top of thecylindcr and arranged in front of the piston rod, a trame in which the cylinder is mounted for rotation, and means for connecting the lower end of the cylinder with a source of lluid under pressure.

v`1t). The combination oit a cylinder arranged with its axis vertical and having upper and lower heads, each head having a central opening, a iston movable in the cylinder, a rod rigid v secured to the piston and extending slidably through the opening of the top head, a trolley pole hingedly connected with the top of the cylinder at a point in front of the piston'rod, an abutmenton the trolley pole slidably bearing on the top end of the piston rod, a hollow connecting piece arranged in the' opening of the bottom lead, a pipe connected with the said piece for, supplying luid -under pressure to the cylinder, and a frame for supporting the cylinder on the roof of a car and in which thc cylinder is mounted for rotation. Y 4

11. The combination of aframe composed of two parts divisible on a horizontal plane, a vertically-disposed cylinder housed within the frame, ball bearings between the ends of the cylinder and frame for rotatably support-- ing the 'cylinder in the frame and preventing vertical movement of the cylinder, said cylinder having central openings in the top and bottom heads thereof,'a connecting piece said incn-iler, with a fluid actuated device a piston arranged in the cylinder, a rod rising g mounted in the lower opening and projecting/ posed of two parts divisible on a horizontalj` lll) lli)

'outof the same,za pipe securedto thezsaid 125 pieceand-i-.holding the same stationary, a

piston'and slii'glable back and forth inthe opening` otheiipper head, -and atrolley pole secured-tto tllecylinddrand resting on 'the piston on vthecylinder; a rod secured to theupper end of the rod to4 ered by the latter;

' ltwo-peri: mounting .in the form of a. housing,

bearings between thecylnder and housing,

a piston within the cy1nder,`a hinged connecton between the trolley pole and o'ne end of the cylinder, a 'swiveled mpple or coupling arranged axially inI one heedvof the cylinder,

and a motive flid supply pipe' with the'coupling.

Intestimony whereof, we afix'our slgnatures in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL c. CoorER.- WALTER M. AUSTN.

connected LV/'itsneeseaz f i "W, N. WooDsoN,..

C. BRADWAY. 

